going low carb but scared.

[NCISGibbs]

i am considering going low carb and doing some research at the moment to see what plan i am going to use.
im torn at the moment between keto, paleo or atkins.
also what i really want to know is 'how shitty does it really feel in the beginning and how long does that last?
is there really such thing as carb/sugar detox and carb flu?

Yes, Atkins Flu is real but only lasts a few days at most. Think tiredness, low energy, low mood, aching muscles, headache.
Once you're past that, I found it a doddle, increased mood, energy and steady significant weight loss.
You can choose whatever branding of low carb you like, but my golden rule is -20g of carbs for the first 2 weeks at least.

If you cut down before anyway that will help? Nothing more than a headache for a day or two here, you will likely be fine with a pair of paracetamol.

Go lower rather than low carb, up the protein and do strength training instead. There is absolutely no need to go cutting major food groups out of your diet to the extent some of these things would have you believe.

Don’t let carb flu put you off, honestly you’ll feel so much better on this way of eating than the bloated, blood sugar crashing you’re used to. It was a week for me of mainly headaches and fatigue but I went from practically mainlining sugar to low carb so I expected not to feel great.

There are good tips on the boot camp threads that help with the whole carb flu adjustment thing - you’ll be fine.

@FlibbertyGiblets I've never heard anyone say a pair of paracetamol before today. Pair of socks, pair of shoes so I guess you can have a pair of paracetamol too.

Go lower rather than low carb, up the protein and do strength training instead. There is absolutely no need to go cutting major food groups out of your diet to the extent some of these things would have you believe.

Good advice. The more extreme you go, the harder it can be to stick to.
Also low-carb doesn’t suit everyone. If it makes you miserable and obsessive over food, then that’s not a healthy way to exist.

I’d have a look at more moderate low carb too eg Second Nature programme or Louise Parker, you may feel it’s more sustainable.

I didn't have keto flu and lost 8lb in my first week!

I think the benefits of low carb are better when you think of restrictive calories.

I found Atkins to be too loose. It was low carb but had unrestricted foods. So you focus on that when you want toast and end on snacking on stuff you don’t want to fill the gap.

If you know you have 800cals a day you fill up on low calorie foods like green veg and protein but you also know you are expected to feel a bit hungry ( foods coming, it’s not starving yourself ) and you lose the need to fill it with sugar and carbs.

I wanted to do it for the huge tummy I’d developed. It’s the only diet that shifted it. And within 6 weeks.

I totally get why you're apprehensive, @NCISGibbs, I tried low carb after reading "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes (he has since written another book "The Case For Keto", also recommended.

I realised that the science and history of our dietary behaviour had led me to become a binger/overeater/obese and that I could not cope with certain carbohydrates. It took several months of research (and procrastinating) to finally commit to try it but decided to start on 1st March 2016 and commit for one month only. I'd found a marvellous website called dietdoctor.com which had lots of recipe ideas, advice, support etc so carefully planned my first week's menus.

I'm still doing it today because it suits me and keeps me physically/mentally stable. I adapted it to my particular requirements as there are no 'rules', you do you. For example, I have issues with the sweet taste and bread-like products so do not make "keto bread" or "keto desserts". I also have to watch my cheese intake (yes, it is keto/low carb but also triggers my addictive response). Some people cannot tolerate nuts (not because of allergies, but triggering an overeating response).

Another great place to start is by looking at any yt videos featuring Dr David Unwin. He is a GP with a practice in Southport, Merseyside (Norwood Practice, I think) who learned about lowering carbohydrates for his T2D patients seven or eight years ago and began offering advice. It changed his life and his practice. It is an amazing story to hear and his advice would be a great place for you to start on your lower carb journey.

Best of luck @NCISGibbs.

I started this menu today which I think makes sense, it's low car as opposed to no carbs. It's on the website for Diabetes UK. I tried no carb before and I was so extremely constipated after three days that I had lots of cramps in my lower tummy and that's not good.

www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/meal-plans/low-carb

Mumsnet Low-Carb Boot Camp - as outlined on the threads in this topic - has never been "No Carb" It's always been "Low Carb" the clue is in the name of the topic - hence the acronym HFLC (High Fat Low Carb)

Hence the regular comments about the need for a "FLGV" - Fuck Load of Green/Good Veg - which certainly helps with any constipation issues

That and plenty of water she reminds herself as she goes off to have another glass of water

@IstandwithJackieWeaver

Go lower rather than low carb, up the protein and do strength training instead. There is absolutely no need to go cutting major food groups out of your diet to the extent some of these things would have you believe.

@IstandwithJackieWeaver None of those plans are no carb. They're about low carb. Which means that you still eat carbs, just in the form of vegetables, salad and some fruit.

@NCISGibbs the next Low Carb Bootcamp is starting on 12 April if you want to join us?

You've a vested interest in pushing your low carb bootcamp BIWI. I prefer being able to eat some of the foods that doesn't allow.

@IstandwithJackieWeaver in my response to you I was pointing out a fact about low carbing, not 'pushing' Bootcamp at you! I suggested it to the OP as she is considering following a low carb diet.

I prefer being able to eat some of the foods that doesn't allow.

So don’t take part, but @BIWI’s invitation wasn’t addressed to you, she wasn’t pushing anything at you🤷‍♀️

I'm sure BIWI is a big girl who doesn't need you to stick up for her.

Low carb diets do have drawbacks and why would you not eat certain foods if you like them and can lose weight without having to cut them out?

Any diet has its drawbacks!

You're clearly not a fan of low carbing, which is absolutely your prerogative.

But you've come on to this thread to push your own agenda, so it's a bit rich to say I'm pushing Bootcamp when the OP has posted in the Low Carb Bootcamp topic!

@IstandwithJackieWeaver

I'm sure BIWI is a big girl who doesn't need you to stick up for her.

Low carb diets do have drawbacks and why would you not eat certain foods if you like them and can lose weight without having to cut them out?

The low carb way of eating certainly does have significant drawbacks and these include having to wean yourself off sugar/glucose/fructose in most of its forms and letting go of eating hyper palatable processed carbage which has been scientifically engineered by food companies to be overeaten.

If you are one of those people who can eat 'just one' of or a 'single portion' of something sweet/starchy/fatty foods and do not suffer the metabolic diseases associated with obesity and type2diabetes, then you are very lucky indeed!

However, for those who do suffer the ill health associated with overeating processed carbs, sugars, starches and grains, low carb may be the answer. I myself tried it for a single month five years ago and found that it suited me so I still eat this way.

I recommended OP look into it carefully and research the pros and cons to see if she would like to consider trying it. The bootcamp here is definitely a great place to visit to receive the help, support and wisdom of other low carbers.

To answer your question "why would you not eat certain foods if you like them and can lose weight without having to cut them out? Why indeed. I am a serial yoyo dieter who did this on countless occasions over forty years of dieting. Sadly, I never maintained any losses until I tried the low carb route. Apparently I have an addictive response to the sweet taste and cannot cope with it; it leads to bingeing and overeating. So, I keep away and am safe and stable.

I absolutely believe in the benefits of low carb, and felt good and lost weight when I did Bootcamp. It wasn't unhealthy - I ate loads of veg. What I don't believe in is my ability to stick to low carb on a long-term basis. Low carb reduces your appetite and to some extent your desire for sugary stuff, but it's never going to entirely remove the ever-present temptation of carby food, and I found it very unforgiving of lapses compared with any other weight loss method I've ever tried. Weight went back on incredibly rapidly.

I'll leave you to it - low carb is like a cult on MN.

@lazylinguist

I absolutely believe in the benefits of low carb, and felt good and lost weight when I did Bootcamp. It wasn't unhealthy - I ate loads of veg. What I don't believe in is my ability to stick to low carb on a long-term basis. Low carb reduces your appetite and to some extent your desire for sugary stuff, but it's never going to entirely remove the ever-present temptation of carby food, and I found it very unforgiving of lapses compared with any other weight loss method I've ever tried. Weight went back on incredibly rapidly.

I agree that low carb is 'unforgiving' too, to transgressions.

I have thought about this long and hard over the years I've been doing it and reckon that over time my body's ability to assimilate 'carbs' has reduced considerably so a small transgression has a larger effect.

For example, my intake of wine has decreased enormously because one (small) glass goes straight to my head, I cannot tolerate a lot of alcohol at all.

My body has become very sensitive to sugars, starches and grains. I accept this because being a stable, healthy weight for four years is such an amazing experience that I am happy to pay this price.

No cake, ice cream, biscuits, breads are worth it.

@IstandwithJackieWeaver I'm sorry you feel like low carb is like a cult on mn. It isn't, its just that people like me who have spent their entire teen and adult lives struggling with low fat diets find the solution, it's life changing. We want to spread the word to others like us, that's all.

I'm a firm believer that the only problem with most diets is simply the well-documented virtual impossibility of sticking to them long-term. Most diets will work if you can stick to them. I lost just as much weight on a low fat diet a few years ago as I did on Bootcamp, although I felt hungrier and maybe a bit less energetic.

The reason low fat was successful for me was that I had no choice because I had gallstones which caused agony if I ate more than 10g of fat. Contrary to popular belief, it's perfectly possible to eat a low fat diet without eating excessive sugar or processed 'lite' food, just like it's perfectly possible to eat a low carb diet witbout living on lard and bacon!

Since I have found it impossible to stick to either low fat or low carb long-term, my new solution is 16:8 intermittent fasting, which for me means two meals a day, no breakfast, and ideally no snacking,though that's the hard part. No banned foods though, which is the main benefit!

@lazylinguist

Since I have found it impossible to stick to either low fat or low carb long-term, my new solution is 16:8 intermittent fasting, which for me means two meals a day, no breakfast, and ideally no snacking,though that's the hard part. No banned foods though, which is the main benefit!

IF is very effective, too, best of luck.